Eagle men's hoops upends Drew for fifth-straight victory

(Posted January 19, 2008)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- The Juniata men's basketball team (11-5, 4-1 Landmark) surpassed Drew University (4-11, 1-4 Landmark), 64-57, Saturday afternoon in Huntingdon, Pa. The Eagles took their first lead in the game with less than three minutes remaining.
Juniata got off to a slow start, scoring only two points in the first four minutes of play. The Eagles continued trailing Drew for the entire first half and into the second half, until a pair of free throws by Kyle Opitz (Gibsonia, Pa. / Pine Richland) tied the game, 52-52, with 2:37 left on the clock. Opitz's free throws were the third and fourth of the ten consecutive made free throws by Opitz in the last three minutes of play.
Juniata continued to carry the lead for the remainder of the game, eventually stretching its lead to eight points off a pair of free throws by Jeff Berkey (Stoystown, Pa. / Shanksville-Stoneycreek) with 42 seconds remaining.
The Eagles offense was led by Opitz, who scored his career high 29 points, including going a perfect 12-for-12 at the line. Behind Opitz offensively were Brian Cannon (Fallston, Md. / Fallston) and Berkey who each finished with 10 points on the night.
Drew also had three players reach double figures. Chris Lopez (Staten Island, N.Y. / Monsignor Farrell) led the team with 17 points and eight rebounds followed by Gerard Mullin (Freehold, N.J. / St. Rose) with 15 points and three rebounds. David Cramer (Columbiana, Ohio / Columbiana) rounded out Drew's double-digit scorers with 12 points and six rebounds.
The win extended Juniata's winning streak to five games, heading into its first conference road-trip of the season.
The Eagles return to action next Saturday, January 26, at 7:30 when they will face Landmark Conference foe Goucher College in Baltimore, Md.
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